Heavy lifting: literally and figuratively

When people talk about the “heavy lifting” involved in starting a business, they often mean it figuratively—the mental and emotional grind, the late nights, the constant decision-making. But let’s not gloss over the fact that in many small businesses, the heavy lifting is also very literal.

Take something as seemingly light and beautiful as a skincare line—say, sugar scrubs in elegant tin jars. How heavy can that be? You’d be surprised. Try ordering 7,000 jars or 2,000 pounds of sugar. Those jars don’t magically walk themselves into your facility. The sugar doesn’t gently float from your car into your production space. That’s your job—literally.

There’s the brain strain of figuring out where to source these things in the first place—maybe you’ve never imported anything, never dealt with customs, never priced freight from overseas or scheduled a pallet drop. That’s the mental weight. But then, the truck shows up. And now the real lifting begins.

Picture this: 44 bags of sugar, each 50 pounds. That’s 2,200 pounds of sweetness that needs to be moved, stored, dumped, scooped, and portioned—likely by you, the owner, who might also be the entire team. No hand model in heels are lifting this load. It’s sweat, grit, and probably a pair of gloves.

Then the jars arrive. Seventeen boxes, each weighing 40 pounds, left curbside. Who’s moving them into the garage? Not your neighbor. Not your kids. Not your dog. You. Maybe with the help of a hand truck—if you’ve learned how to use one. (Pro tip: stack low, tilt with your knees, and don’t wear white.)

Entrepreneurship isn’t just strategy and spreadsheets. It’s physical labor. It’s showing up early before your “real” job to unload supplies. It’s stacking boxes, lifting bins, and sweeping floors when you’re already sore.

So yes, the struggle is real—and it weighs about 50 pounds per bag. When someone says starting a business requires heavy lifting, believe them. It’s not just a metaphor. It’s a muscle workout.

Better pack your grit and gloves, because starting a business isn’t for the faint of heart—or the weak of biceps.

Live! Laugh! Scrub!

Wendy Kushel is the owner of Wendala’s LowCountry Sugar Scrub, LLC, based in Bluffton, South Carolina. She founded her company in 2020 after a career in stand-up comedy, film, television, and sales and marketing. For more information, visit www.lowcountrysugarscrub.com or call or text 843-949-8933.